It’s an Anson & Deeley boxlock of some description, definitely not a sidelock. Looks like a nice one though. Good bit of timber on it and Purdey barrels mark it out as something potentially quite special.

LE

It’s an Anson & Deeley boxlock of some description, definitely not a sidelock. Looks like a nice one though. Good bit of timber on it and Purdey barrels mark it out as something potentially quite special.

LE

There was quite a vibrant “jobbing” (repairs) shop back in the day and they’d do anything. Especially if the customer already had a Purdey.

Even during my tenure we did full rebuilds on stuff from other companies.

For a while there was a roaring trade doing up Indian guns. They have 100% import tax on luxury goods so a new Purdey or H&H will be more than double what it costs over here.

Solution; buy an old gun, send it to us and have every single component, with the exception of the action, replaced with new.

Voila, it’s not a new gun as it still has the original serial number. No tax to pay. These were some of the nicest guns I’ve ever seen. 1920s Holland & Holland’s and Purdeys from the Raj, but entirely done up as new with brand new barrels, locks and wood.

LE

There was quite a vibrant “jobbing” (repairs) shop back in the day and they’d do anything. Especially if the customer already had a Purdey.

Even during my tenure we did full rebuilds on stuff from other companies.

For a while there was a roaring trade doing up Indian guns. They have 100% import tax on luxury goods so a new Purdey or H&H will be more than double what it costs over here.

Solution; buy an old gun, send it to us and have every single component, with the exception of the action, replaced with new.

Voila, it’s not a new gun as it still has the original serial number. No tax to pay. These were some of the nicest guns I’ve ever seen. 1920s Holland & Holland’s and Purdeys from the Raj, but entirely done up as new with brand new barrels, locks and wood.

LE

He’s put his prices up. I think the going rate for a whole set of new barrels was about 8k. Although a bit more of it was to fit to an existing gun which is obviously more work than just making a set from scratch for a gun that doesn’t exist yet.

I suppose we also supplied the forgings and tubes which would save a bit of cost for us. And we’d get mate’s rates for chucking lots of work his way.

LE

He’s put his prices up. I think the going rate for a whole set of new barrels was about 8k. Although a bit more of it was to fit to an existing gun which is obviously more work than just making a set from scratch for a gun that doesn’t exist yet.

I suppose we also supplied the forgings and tubes which would save a bit of cost for us. And we’d get mate’s rates for chucking lots of work his way.

To be honest you can always tell with sleeved barrels. It is impossible to disguise completely. Some people can get very close, but after a few years there is always some discolouration and the lines show through.

We got pretty close with the Purdey Sporter’s monobloc but again, it wasn’t perfect.

My preference is to stick some engraving over the join and make a feature of it. Most monobloc barrels will have some sort of engraving on the join.

LE

Due to circumstances I have only managed to shoot the top rifle, a Walther .22 LR target rifle but the other day I finally got to shoot the bottom one, a Musgrave actioned .308 target rifle. The delay has been due to the need to replace (read manufacture) the cheek piece as the fitted one was too low at its highest setting and the requirement to get a proper shooting coat so that the weight can be properly supported.

The search for a shooting coat (at a cost that didn't make one feel as though one's testicles were in a vice) took rather longer than I anticipated. So the other day was a learning day with a capital L. Both rifles are fitted with aperture sights but, as I found out, they work back to front to each other. The Walther was sighted very much by trial and error. Something that isn't that hard on the wallet when using .22 ammunition. However, .308 is a tad different, especially using factory ammunition.

Suffice to say the day was very humid, totally lacking any wind for much of the time and very frustrating. However, just before my patience quota had expired there were signs that we were getting close until this was achieved -

The card is 8" square, the range (lasered) was 490 yards and with aperture, or peep sights, against a bush background was only just, and I really do mean just, visible. To say I was pleased was an understatement. I still need more, much more, range time but at least I know the thing works.

LE

Due to circumstances I have only managed to shoot the top rifle, a Walther .22 LR target rifle but the other day I finally got to shoot the bottom one, a Musgrave actioned .308 target rifle. The delay has been due to the need to replace (read manufacture) the cheek piece as the fitted one was too low at its highest setting and the requirement to get a proper shooting coat so that the weight can be properly supported.

The search for a shooting coat (at a cost that didn't make one feel as though one's testicles were in a vice) took rather longer than I anticipated. So the other day was a learning day with a capital L. Both rifles are fitted with aperture sights but, as I found out, they work back to front to each other. The Walther was sighted very much by trial and error. Something that isn't that hard on the wallet when using .22 ammunition. However, .308 is a tad different, especially using factory ammunition.

Suffice to say the day was very humid, totally lacking any wind for much of the time and very frustrating. However, just before my patience quota had expired there were signs that we were getting close until this was achieved -

The card is 8" square, the range (lasered) was 490 yards and with aperture, or peep sights, against a bush background was only just, and I really do mean just, visible. To say I was pleased was an understatement. I still need more, much more, range time but at least I know the thing works.

LE

I took the barrel and a collection of sight parts and sling swivels across to a plating shop to have the chrome stripped, and got it back yesterday. They have done an excellent job.. all the chrome is off and it is back to bare steel.. If you recall, this is what it looked like before with chrome around the breech ring and knoxform..

This is how it looks now...

The finish is a bit grey, but all the lettering is sharp and the surface is clean. The rust pitting was there originally, but is now clean, and all traces of oxide has gone. Most of the pitting is under the wood and is not deep enough to de-queue the gun! So all good!

I am really pleased at how the proof marks and sight slide have cleaned up... The plating had pretty much filled them, and they were unreadable. They are now crisp and clear. A bit of gentle burnishing should take off the grey colour, and put the metal back to the white..

I also lucked out on the wood. I managed to find a specialist wood shop that did lumps of wood for the artyfarties and the guitar making fraternity. I called him up and asked if he had any walnut. He told me he had a slab that might do me, but that he might cut up for guitar blanks.. I went over to look at it after dropping the barrel off at the platers..

Result! OK its 'Murican Black walnut, but frankly European walnut is unobtanium in the sizes I was looking for.. and the price was very right!

Looking at how the stock can lie in the wood, I think I can fit it in nicely, with the grain through the wrist and down to the toe of the butt...

anyone got a bandsaw?

Edited to add... I am quite impressed at how the chrome has preserved the detail on the original barrel, and how cleanly it was to remove. Given the damage the gun has had to the underside, the plating has stopped the deterioration dead! I could almost be persuaded to plate a piece I was not going to use for some time as a means of preservation.. a bit like permanent cosmoline! (although it would only work on guns in the white.. plating would strip any surface treatment such as bluing..)

Last edited: 19 Feb 2020

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LE

Anyone got any experience of doing CSR? I was talking to a couple of people at the weekend who banged on about how much they enjoyed it and I just watched a video on youtube and I'm half tempted to have a crack.